The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to a compact and stackable package for displaying products.
Most fresh meat, fish and poultry products sold at retail are packaged in trays formed of wood fibers, paperboard, plastic foam or thermoform plastic sheet material. An absorbent pad is frequently placed in the tray to absorb fluids which exude from the product. The tray and product is then overwrapped with a transparent plastic film. Examples of such packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,575,287; 3,700,096 and 4,664,922.
Sometimes, the product is placed in a plastic bag and sealed. Examples of this type of package are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,619,361; 4,742,908; and 5,660,868.
Prepared meats, etc., are packaged in a variety of blister-packs, specialty packs and the like. Examples of this type of packaging are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,125,633; 4,268,530; 4,496,354; 5,061,501; 5,326,577; 5,871,095; 5,888,565 and 6,110,512.
Sellers prefer to offer attractive packages which display the products and have informative and eye-catching indicia and graphics that attract and convince customers and consumers to purchase the products. Sellers also prefer packaging which permits them to brand their products and differentiate their products from competitors products.
Consumers prefer neat, clean and attractive packages which contain informative indicia and graphics. Most of all, however, purchasers want to see the products they are buying to the maximum extent possible.
Heretofore, trays and other packaging materials, except for the overwrap film, have not been transparent and therefore cover and obscure the consumer""s view of the product. Attempts have been made to provide transparent windows, but such typically expose only a minor amount of the product. Even where transparent film would otherwise have exposed a significant amount of the product, printed indicia, labels and the like have prevented an uninterrupted view of the products.
Another major disadvantage of prior packaging is that such packaging has almost universally been of irregular size and shape. Both producers and consumers prefer packages of uniform shape and size which are much easier to pack and inventory. Most, if not all, of the packages heretofore in use have been of irregular shape and size, and therefore have been difficult to stack and display. Indeed, the shapes of such prior packaging have dictated that such packages be displayed in horizontal display cases. These refrigerated cases are inefficient, costly and are difficult for consumers to access.
Such prior packaging frequently will leak exudates into the display cases creating an unsightly mess and necessitating frequent cleaning or onto consumers hands or into carrying bags or containers. Such propensity is decidedly disadvantageous and causes consumer dissatisfaction.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a package for displaying products that is neat, clean, attractive, regular in size and shape, provides good visibility of the product, permits branding and product differentiation, and therefore obviates the deficiencies and disadvantages of prior packaging.
The present invention accomplishes this objective by providing a package of a size and shape which is readily stackable and displays the product in either vertical or horizontal orientation. The package of the present invention includes a platform member having a generally rectangular, transparent planar portion on which the product is placed and supported, and a base portion at substantially a right angle to the planar portion for supporting the platform member with the planar portion in a substantially vertical orientation and for supporting the product thereon. The base portion may be integral with the planar portion or removably attached thereto. The platform member may include a top portion opposite said base portion and substantially parallel thereto. The base portion may include a well or cavity therein, in which an absorbent material may be placed to absorb exudants from the product. This well may also contain anti-microbial agents and/or carbon dioxide generators/oxygen removing agents.
A sleeve member encircles the platform member and the product to ensure the package has a regular cubic shape and to provide surfaces for printed indicia and advertising, marketing, or informational printing thereon. Preferably, the sleeve is formed of an elongate paperboard or plastic member having a width substantially equal to the width of the base portion of the platform member and at least as great as the thickness or height of the product such that the weight of superposed packages will be borne by the sleeve member and not the product. The sleeve member may be provided with a tear strip to aid in the removal thereof when the product is to be removed from the package.
The package of the present invention further includes a transparent plastic film overwrap, which may be a stretch or shrink film, which is wrapped around the platform member and product to unitize the same. If desired, the sleeve member may be applied before the film overwrap, but it is preferred that the sleeve member encircles the platform member, product and film overwrap. The film overwrap should be adhered or heat-sealed at least to the front and sides of the base portion and to the perimeter of the platform member, but should not obstruct the visibility of the product through the transparent planar portion of the platform member.
Preferably, the platform, product, film overwrap and sleeve member may be over-wrapped in plastic film, shrink wrap or lidded by plastic film. This overwrap provides a second barrier to the escape of exudates from the package and renders the package more leak-proof.